For Republicans, trying to take down Obama could get ugly

Why has the Republican race been so nasty? It's simple -- that's what the voters want.

In Florida, the issue that mattered most to voters was the ability to defeat President Obama: 45 percent of Florida Republicans said so, according to exit polls.

Newt Gingrich ran his resurgent campaign on the contention that he, unlike his rivals for the nomination, is a true conservative. But only 14 percent of Florida voters prioritized that issue.

The results in Florida mirror those of the previous contests: in the Sunshine State, as in South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa, the most important thing voters were looking for was finding a candidate to beat Mr.  Obama.

While voters' calculations about who can best beat Mr. Obama can be complex, it seems, from the tenor of the campaign, that so far it hasn't been about who has the best tax plan or is most committed to deficit reduction; instead, the question has been about who has the least amount of personal baggage, crazy ideas or ill-advised comments that can be vilified in a general election by the president and his allies.

In South Carolina, Gingrich was able to turn Romney's business experience against him, making him seem unable to relate to struggling Americans. In Florida, Romney turned the tables, saying Gingrich was "unhinged." Romney lambasted his rival's idea to establish a colony on the moon and attacked his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives, particularly targeting his resignation and ethics charges. This was a race to the bottom -- to find out which candidate could be made out to be the least likable.

The two main contenders slugged it out in the venue of choice:on the airwaves. In Florida alone, Romney,  Gingrich and their respective allies (read: super PACs) spent roughly $20 million on television advertising - most of it negative.

But what's also true in fueling the "beat Obama" fire is that debates matter. Being on the big stage, especially with only four candidates left, gave voters an opportunity to imagine each candidate up there facing off with the president.

In South Carolina, Gingrich used debates to his advantage, sparring with the moderators and opponents alike to win that state's primary by convincing voters he could best beat Mr. Obama in a debate. In Florida, it was Romney's turn -- using Gingrich's very tactics to go on the offensive and win that mantle back. But part of being a strong debater is having the ability to be nasty in person. Republicans want a candidate who will stick it to the president. Gingrich did that in South Carolina, but when he was given the chance to repeat his attack on Romney in a Florida debate, he passed, hoping to appear above the fray. Losing that killer instinct hurt the former speaker because that's what voters were looking for: an attack dog to take on the President.

And while a lot has been made about the question of Romney's ability to garner Tea Party support, the fact of the matter is that Tea Party supporters who are Republicans at heart share the same goal as non-Tea Party Republicans: they all want to beat Mr. Obama.

While some would prefer to vote with their hearts for the true conservative, most seem to be voting with their heads: Which candidate has the least baggage, the best operation, and -- yes, money goes into this calculation -- the power to topple a sitting president.

When the biggest consideration surrounding a campaign is about personality rather than policy, the race gets nasty. It's not necessarily who can best fix the country, though that's part of it; it's about which man, warts and all, is best able to beat the president. And with millions of dollars raised by the campaigns and unaffiliated groups who want the same goals in the general election, the nastiness could be record breaking.

In other words, this campaign has become, and will continue to be, nasty and brutish. And unlike the saying goes, it's not necessarily going to be short.

[PulSamsara]

Mitt Romney is the John Kerry of the GOP - and will suffer the same defeat at the polls.

[Light_in_Loafers]

It's going to get real ugly if Michelle's picture is used to help Obama's campaign.
She's the Aunt Ester of First Ladies!

[ProgressNow]

Prime example above folks! Rude and tasteless drivel from low life's from the right!

[Light_in_Loafers]

Folks?
Who do you think you are? An MC for the scumbags on the left?
You just lack a sense of humor when it comes to the truth.
:)

[B_Erhart]

republiklans can only fool 30% of people - ditto nitwits, teabag plutocrats and foxnews sci fy channel. OUT of 300+ MILLION people, THIS is the BEST you got! (save Dr Paul) All president has to do IS connect the dots of who drove the country off the cliff. IF same organ grinders count 2012 vote maybe a 2000 W redux. Karma wise, the glove might fit...

[AmericanLady100]

Please change "could" to "will" in your headline. The Florida primary was a very unpleasant preview of what will be happening in the future.

[thebob-bob]

Republicans are ugly. Fear, Hatred, Distortion, Distraction and Division is all they have to offer America.

[Light_in_Loafers]

Wow!
Eco used a big $5 word like "erudite"
He's the Howard Cowsell of this site!

[ladyang]

And it is also why te repugs will LOSE massive votes from women, veterans, the middle class, the poor, and the remaining 99% of Americans! Yes, folks it will be ugly and I'm in it for the long haul!!!!!!!!!

[noloyalisti]

They are ugly already, from the inside out. Quite simply the Republicons are a failed and obsolete band of clowns that only represent the Top 1% and people too stupid to know better. Quite simply they are a non-fixable damaged brand that should be run out of America before they kill again.

[bilrobi1]

Speaking for myself. I think that Romney is an elitist and has absolutely what the real world is like. I have the same opinion of Gingrich and to add to it. Gingrich comes of as more arrogant them Romney., more hateful than Romney and more impulsive than Romney. It's a bit like McCain came across in the last election. I really don't want anybody in charge that has an impulse disorder. I'm really tired of the vitriol. I really dislike both leading Republican candidates. Being from Massachusetts and having seen Romney ignore/shun working people .I know what an absolute snob he is. Gingrich is also an arrogant snob but he is more dangerous than Romney because of his obviously poor impulse control.

[MTATL670]

If Republicans think that nastiness is going to win them the White House they are committing a Boehnered(huge political miscalculation). We want action not rhetoric and all these people have given so fare is it's his fault for all our woes. President Obama has taken out Osama Bin Laden brought freedom to Libya and got me to buy my first home. The GOP better come at him with more than racist rhetoric - that for you Newt.

[BuckeyeChuck]

Yes we know that, but Fox viewers and the t-party part of the republican party are so consumed by hate that they can not see the facts. Freedom to lie as might destroy this country.

[endrepubs]

From my experience, Republicans are, by and large, more hateful than Democrats. Lee Atwater wrote the modern day Republican play book and he preached Attack, Attack, Attack, even when you know you can't defend yourself. By going on the offensive, you automatically put the other side on the defensive. Republicans have followed this strategy for policy purposes and in the course of campaigning to the "t" over the years, and they have been very successful at bamboozling uninformed or impressionable voters with this tactic. Many voters just want to hear a simple fix to our complex problems and Republicans offer those simpleminded voters a easy to digest soundbite to fix things. We have seen the attack plan used religiously against Obama and I imagine we are going to go to another level in the Republican effort to "make Obama a one term President". This is sad, considering the Republicans never even made an attempt to work with Obama to help the country.